As reported recently, Multi-Room Viewing (MRV) is a new capability that is in early beta launch stage, with a mainstream availability some time in the months ahead.
There appears to be a reasonably-clear assumption that DirecTV will assess some form of "per household account" fee for this service.
The question is - Are you willing to pay for MRV, and if so, how much?
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME FORM OF INSTALLATION CHARGE FOR ANY REQUIRED NEW HARDWARE - THAT IS NOT YET KNOWN.
There are a whole host of things involved in pulling a file off a network server that aren't involved in MRV, and those things make the comparison invalid. A much better comparison that really highlights the weakness of the current MRV implementation is Microsoft's IIS Smooth Streaming technology. Using this over the Internet you can experience nearly instant trickplay performance. If Microsoft can accomplish this over the Internet, why is it wrong to ask DirecTV to do the same thing over the local network?
There are a whole host of things involved in pulling a file off a network server that aren't involved in MRV, and those things make the comparison invalid. A much better comparison that really highlights the weakness of the current MRV implementation is Microsoft's IIS Smooth Streaming technology. Using this over the Internet you can experience nearly instant trickplay performance. If Microsoft can accomplish this over the Internet, why is it wrong to ask DirecTV to do the same thing over the local network?
Having no idea of what MS is doing, it just seems like having to pull files off another "server" on any network would take a few more steps than pulling it up locally. This is why "I think" MRV will take a bit longer and so never be "seamless".
Having no idea of what MS is doing, it just seems like having to pull files off another "server" on any network would take a few more steps than pulling it up locally. This is why "I think" MRV will take a bit longer and so never be "seamless".
I understand what you're saying, but I'm telling you that implementations exist today where remote trickplay occurs faster than the local trickplay on an HR2x. Any added delays are imperceptable.
I understand what you're saying, but I'm telling you that implementations exist today where remote trickplay occurs faster than the local trickplay on an HR2x. Any added delays are imperceptable.
So it can improve, which I understand.
It's always been hard to compare my PC performance with the receivers since I've got "tons of stuff" and the receivers are so lite in theirs.
So it can improve, which I understand.
It's always been hard to compare my PC performance with the receivers since I've got "tons of stuff" and the receivers are so lite in theirs.
U-verse is just receivers, and their MRV performance is stellar. Like I said, I believe it just comes down to a matter of programming skill. Microsoft, being a software company, just has better programmers. It's to be expected, and it's also why most providers don't write their own software.
U-verse is just receivers, and their MRV performance is stellar. Like I said, I believe it just comes down to a matter of programming skill. Microsoft, being a software company, just has better programmers. It's to be expected, and it's also why most providers don't write their own software.
From a quick check of U-verse, they are an IPTV based system, so while they may have a leg up on MRV performance/function, it also seems they are network based and don't have to also be doing SAT reception at the same time.
Their boxes have networking as their core while DirecTV must do it as an extra to what is their core.
I'd guess each technology has it's strong & weak points.
while they may have a leg up on MRV performance/function, it also seems they are network based and don't have to also be doing SAT reception at the same time.
I don't see how that matters. The satellite reception is handled by the tuner, which hands off the signal to the demodulator, then on to conditional access and finally decoding. All of this is handled by dedicated hardware. IPTV replaces the tuner and demodulator with a TCP/IP stack, but everything else is the same. There is no "harder" or "easier" they're just different.
I don't see how that matters. The satellite reception is handled by the tuner, which hands off the signal to the demodulator, then on to conditional access and finally decoding. All of this is handled by dedicated hardware. IPTV replaces the tuner and demodulator with a TCP/IP stack, but everything else is the same. There is no "harder" or "easier" they're just different.
I don't believe that DirecTV will ever get MRV working seamlessly, with fully responsive trick play. I reject the idea of rewarding DirecTV for a half-assed programming effort. I feel they should not collect any additional money, and in fact (as another poster said) they should pay beta testers for the hassle they've created. (I'm not an MRV beta tester.)
Maybe this could come down to what someone's idea of seamless is.
You refused to test MRV correct?
I'm using it here and starting, stopping, and 30 sec skips aren't quite as fast as local, but other than these, it's hard to tell which I'm using.
With the newest release, all playback is flawless here, so in this sense it's "seamless".
What I'm currently seeing is a "change of mode" going from local to MRV, and what looks like a slightly longer "request time" for skips ahead, than what I get with doing the same locally.
I do not intend to pay for MRV, DTV has to many extra charges foir me already.
My bill has 37.98 in extra charges before taxes next you know the extra charges will equal my monthly service.
Just my .02
Pretty seamless here. . . other than the few seconds delay on starting the stream, we can NOT tell the difference in watching or any trickplay that we use. . . mostly 30 skip and rw /ff if resume doesn't show up.
Still need to see the charges / package before we say whether we'll pay for it. I personally think it's a BAD move for directv.
I will not pay for MRV. this is a feature that comes with U-Verse and I see no reason why we should have to pay extra for it with DTV. My bill is high enough as it is and been considering switching though I have been a satisfied customer of DTV since 1998. If DTV starts charging for MRV that may be the final straw. I am out of contract and was thinking of upgrading my last STB to HD DVR from the current r15
I agree with most people here in thinking that this should just come with my subscription. I am already paying an insane amount of money per month to D* and of course it goes up every single year so anything and everything that they can do to add value I think should be included at no charge.
No for me. It's not that hard to schedule it on both of my recievers. I don't keep stuff I've already watched, so...
I currently debating my D* stuff anyway. What do I really get out of it for the investment? There are a few channels that I would miss. ESPN, Speed, FX...
But, the majority of the shows I watch are available OTA in HD.
I've got one PC with a tuner and a WHS at home. I can't play mp3's, most of my videos, and do anything from the internet on my D* box. (Unless I transcode or stream, which I can figure out, but will most people?)
The Boxee box is going to be 139.00.
An ION-ATOM based PC is 200.00.
I'm on the low end for D* (no premium channels), and I could pay for the switch in equipment in 4 months, and have no charges at all after that.
Anyway this is off topic, so....
I guess my point is the same as others, one more fee or charge, which just pushes me closer to the brink.
They should really think about doing things to KEEP me as a customer (like getting media share working so I can play anything on it), rather than squeeze more money out of me.
I suspect you're going to be disappointed then....hacking the next DirecTivo box will be nothing like the old HR10 units...if at all.
One way or another....MRV will be a fee-based service....an add-on fee, an embedded fee, or transparent fee...but it will not be free. That much is clear.
Pretty seamless here. . . other than the few seconds delay on starting the stream, we can NOT tell the difference in watching or any trickplay that we use. . . mostly 30 skip and rw /ff if resume doesn't show up.
Still need to see the charges / package before we say whether we'll pay for it. I personally think it's a BAD move for directv.
Agree with you here. The other piece for me is that if it is required to install different equipment (SWiM, DECA, etc.) at a cost to me than I'll definitely be out. My internet connections work just fine and I'd only adapt to DECA if it was installed for me at no cost.
My .02 is it should be included in our annually adjusted package price. I haven't used it yet, but I will not pay extra for it. I dumped ST when they started charging for superfan. I won't be dumping Directv as a whole until I figure out how good/bad MLBTV is.
I would 100% absolutely not pay a fee for MRV as it stands (for me) today.
Trickplay is virtually unusable. I hit FFwd and the picture freezes for about 5 seconds. The time bar begins to move, but the picture shown is about 5 seconds behind the time bar. So I virtually always miss the mark and have to RWd/FFwd a couple of times to hit it right. It's bad to the point that we purposely don't use MRV even though it's available.
I only have two HR's and they are on a freshly wired Cat5e network with a gig switch.
I would 100% absolutely not pay a fee for MRV as it stands (for me) today.
Trickplay is virtually unusable. I hit FFwd and the picture freezes for about 5 seconds. The time bar begins to move, but the picture shown is about 5 seconds behind the time bar. So I virtually always miss the mark and have to RWd/FFwd a couple of times to hit it right. It's bad to the point that we purposely don't use MRV even though it's available.
I only have two HR's and they are on a freshly wired Cat5e network with a gig switch.
I'm seeing the exact same thing from 2 HR20's hard wired connected to a switch. The response time to bring up the play list is 3 - 4 seconds, then it first shows the most recent program being recorded last time I was in that screen for a split second then populates the entire play list. If I choose a program from another tivo to watch it takes upwards of 10 seconds for the program to start playing.
Like you if there is something on the other box I want to watch, I either watch something else or change boxes.
I guess this is why it's a beta. I chose $0 in the poll and am finding it hard to pay $1 for it.
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